Schemeofwork

CambridgeInternationalASALevel

Information Technology

9626

For examination from 2017

Contents

Overview

Data, information, knowledge and processing (AS Level)

Hardware and software (AS Level)

Monitoring and control (AS Level)

E-safety and health and safety (AS Level)

The digital divide (AS Level)

Using networks (AS Level)

Expert systems (AS Level)

Spreadsheets (AS Level)

Database and file concepts (AS Level)

Sound and video editing (AS Level)

Emerging technologies (A Level)

Role and impact of IT in society (A Level)

Networks (A Level)

Project management (A Level)

System life cycle (A Level)

Graphics creation (A Level)

Animation (A Level)

Mail merge (A Level)

Programming for the web (A Level)

Overview

Thisschemeofworkprovidesideasfor teachers abouthowtoconstructanddeliveracourse for Cambridge International AS A Level Information Technology (9626).Thesyllabushasbeenbrokendownintoteachingunitswithsuggestedteachingactivitiesandlearningresourcestouseintheclassroom.Thisschemeofwork,likeanyother,ismeanttobeaguideline,offeringadvice,tipsandideas.Itcanneverbecompletebutaims toprovideteacherswithabasisforplanningtheirlessons.As well asmaking sure thatthecontent oftheInformation Technology syllabus is covered,it includesdevelopmentideasfortopics.ItdoesnottakeintoaccountthatdifferentschoolstakedifferentamountsoftimetocovertheCambridgeInternational ASandALevelcourse.

Recommendedpriorknowledge

We recommend that learners who are beginning this course should have previously completed a Cambridge IGCSE®course, or the equivalent, in Information and Communication Technology or in Computer Science.

Guided learning hours

Guided learning hours give an indication of the amount of contact time teachers need to have with learners to deliver a particular course. Our syllabuses are designed around 180 hours for Cambridge International AS Level, and 360 hours for Cambridge International A Level. The number of hours may vary depending on local practice and the learners’ previous experience of the subject. The table below gives some guidance about how many hours are recommended for each topic.

Outline

Topic / Level / Suggested teaching time (hours) / Suggested teaching order
Data, information, knowledge and processing / AS Level / About 16 / Teach early on in the course
Hardware and software / AS Level / About 16 / Teach early on in the course
Monitoring and control / AS Level / About 20 / Can be taught at any time
E-safety and health and safety / AS Level / About 15 / Can be taught at any time
The digital divide / AS Level / About 15 / Can be taught at any time
Using networks / AS Level / About 20 / Teach early on in the course, specifically before ‘Networks’
Expert systems / AS Level / About 15 / Can be taught at any time
Spreadsheets / AS Level / About 25 / Teach early on in the course
Database and file concepts / AS Level / About 25 / Teach early on in the course
Sound and video editing / AS Level / About 20 / Can be taught at any time
Emerging technologies / A Level / About 15 / Can be taught at any time
Role and impact of IT in society / A Level / About 20 / Can be taught at any time
Networks / A Level / About 20 / Can be taught at any time
Project management / A Level / About 15 / Can be taught at any time
System life cycle / A Level / About 18 / Can be taught at any time
Graphics creation / A Level / About 20 / Can be taught at any time
Animation / A Level / About 20 / Can be taught at any time
Mail merge / A Level / About 15 / Can be taught at any time
Programming for the web / A Level / About 30 hours / Can be taught at any time

Teaching approach

Wholeclass(W),groupwork(G),pair(P)andindividualactivities(I)areindicated,whereappropriate,withinthisschemeofwork.Suggestionsforhomework(H)andformativeassessment(F)arealsoincluded.Theactivitiesintheschemeofworkareonlysuggestionsandtherearemanyotherusefulactivitiestobefoundinthematerialsreferredtointhelearningresourcelist.

Thereisthepotentialfordifferentiationbyresource,grouping,expectedlevelofoutcome,anddegreeofsupportbyteacher,throughouttheschemeofwork.Lengthoftimeallocatedtoataskisanotherpossiblearea fordifferentiation.

Keyconcepts

The key concepts on which this syllabus is built are set out below. These key concepts can help teachers think about how to approach each syllabus topic in order to encourage learners to make links between topics and develop a deep overall understanding of the subject.

  • Impact of Information Technology

Information Technology (IT) is the application of technology to process information. The impact of IT on all aspects of everyday life is immense. The enormity of the impact can be seen in industry and commerce, transport, leisure, medicine and the home. The impact on the workforce is a very important factor to consider and communications using new technologies have made the World seem smaller.

  • Hardware and software

Many hardware components and software applications are used in IT systems. It is important to understand how these work, and how they interact with each other and within our environment.

  • Network

Computer systems can be connected together to form networks allowing them to share resources.

  • The internet

The internet is a global communications network that allows computers worldwide to connect and share information in many different forms. Examples include email, web pages, and audio and video files. The impact of the internet on our lives is profound. While it provides huge benefits to society, security of data is an issue, both in the workplace and for personal data.

  • System life cycle

Information systems are developed within a planned continuous cycle that covers the initial development of the system through to its scheduled updating or redevelopment. Each phase of development is organised into separate stages.

  • New technologies

As the information industry changes so rapidly, it is important to keep track of new and emerging technologies and consider how they might affect everyday life.

Teachersupport

TeacherSupport(

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Resources

Theup-to-dateresourcelistforthissyllabus,includingtextbooksendorsedbyCambridge,islistedat

Endorsedtextbookshavebeenwrittentobecloselyalignedtothesyllabustheysupport,andhavebeenthroughadetailedqualityassuranceprocess.Assuch,alltextbooksendorsedbyCambridgeforthissyllabusaretheidealresourcetobeusedalongsidethisschemeofworkastheycovereachlearningobjective.

Websitesandvideos

Thisschemeofworkincludeswebsitelinksprovidingdirectaccesstointernetresources.CambridgeInternationalExaminationsisnotresponsiblefortheaccuracyorcontentofinformationcontainedinthesesites.Theinclusionofalinktoanexternalwebsiteshouldnotbeunderstoodtobeanendorsementofthatwebsiteorthesite'sowners(ortheirproducts/services).

Theparticularwebsitepagesinthelearningresourcecolumnofthisschemeofworkwereselectedwhentheschemeofworkwasproduced.Otheraspectsofthesiteswerenotcheckedandonlytheparticularresourcesarerecommended.

Data, information, knowledge and processing (AS Level)

Learningobjectives / Suggestedteachingactivities
Syllabusrefand Key concepts
1.1
Key concept: Impact of Information Technology / Data, information and knowledge
  • define data, clearly identifying that data has no meaning
  • define information and show how data can become information through context and meaning
  • define knowledge and understand that information becomes knowledge when human experience isapplied
/ It is important for learners to understand how data is turned into information through the introduction of context and meaning, and how information becomes knowledge through the application of experience.
Provide learners with a table with the following headings:
  • Data
  • Information
  • Knowledge
Give learners an example to start e.g.
Data / Information / Knowledge
01011995 / Context – This data is a date 01/01/1995.
Meaning – This is the date of my best friend’s birthday. / Experience – I need to make sure I buy a present before this date for my best friend.
Ask learners to complete three other entries in the table that demonstrate taking data through to information.(I)(F)
You could give learners pieces of data if they are struggling to come up with their own. They then give this data a context and meaning and finally apply knowledge to it.
Learningobjectives / Suggestedteachingactivities
Syllabus ref and Key concepts
1.2
1.2 continued / Sources of data
  • define static data and give an example
  • define dynamic data and give an example
  • compare the use of static information sources with dynamic information sources
  • define direct and indirect data source
  • understand the advantages and disadvantages of gathering data from direct and indirect data sources
/ Give learners four different sources of data to review. Two of the sources should bestatic such as a printed poster or leaflet, and two should be dynamic such as a website. Ask learners to identify which resources are static and dynamic and state why.(G)(F)
Ask learners to identify the characteristics of the different information sources and make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of each. Ask learners to draw a conclusion as to whether they think static or dynamic sources of information are better. They need to provide a justification for their choice.(G) (F)
Provide learners with a table that includes a list of different scenarios thatrequire data. Use the following headings:
  • Data required
  • Direct
  • Indirect
  • Justification
Learners decide the best choice of data source, ‘Direct’ or ‘Indirect’ and tick the appropriate column. They should provide a justification for their choice (I)(F). An example is:
Data required / Direct / Indirect / Justification
Which film was the most watchedat the cinema in 2015? /  / It is likely that data is already recorded on the viewing figures for each film in 2015. I just need to get the viewing figure for each film and see which is the highest.
What do our customers like more about product A than product B? /  / To get this information the company needs to do some market research into the products. It isn’t likely that this data already exists, so a representative will need to collect the data directly from a wide range of customers.
This website has some further information about sources of data:

1.3
Key concept: Impact of Information Technology / Quality of information
  • understand how accuracy, relevance, age, level of detail and completeness of the information can affect its quality
/ Give learners an example of a poor-quality leaflet. The leaflet should have incomplete, inaccurate information that lacks detail and is out of date. For example, make the leaflet about a charity event, then ask learners to identify a number of pieces of information about the event such as who it is for, where the event is held etc. They should find that they cannot identify all this information.
As a class, discuss what the effect is of the poor quality of this information and describe how the quality could be improved.(W)
These websites contain information on factors that affect the quality of information:


1.4
Key concept: Impact of Information Technology
1.4 continued / Coding, encoding and encrypting data
  • describe the coding of data (including: M for male, F for female) and more intricate codes (including:clothing type, sizes and colour of garment)
  • discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the coding of data
  • evaluate the need for encoding data and analyse the different methods that can be used to encode data(including: codecs)
  • define encryption and describe different methods of encryption (including: symmetric, asymmetric,public key, private key)
  • evaluate the need for encryption and how it can be used to protect data such as on a hard disk, email orin HTTPS websites
  • discuss encryption protocols (including: the purpose of Secure Socket Layer (SSL)/Transport LayerSecurity (TLS) and the use of SSL/TLS in client server communication)
/ Give learners a list of clothing items that a clothing retail company is about to stock in its store. Tell learners that in order to be efficiently stored in a database and referred to, each item of clothing must be given a code. Explain that the code must come from the information about the clothing item and should identify the item. An example is:
A black pair of trousers that have a waist of 32 and a leg length of 31 could be coded as – BLKTR32W31L
Ask learners to create suitable codes for the remainder of the items on the list.(I) Ask learners, in pairs, to compare their coded lists. Ask them to see if they can shorten any of the codes created. Then ask learners to discuss what would happen if they shortened the codes too much.(P)
Discuss with learners why the retail store would want to create codes for their clothing in this way.(W)
Give learners a simple message that has been encrypted with a simple Caesar cypher e.g. Each consonant moves forward five letters in the alphabet and each vowel moves back two letters. This would turn ‘Hello’ into ‘MCQQM’ when encrypted. Ask learners to try and decrypt the message by working out the cypher.(I)
Explain to learners that what they have just used is a symmetric method of encryption. Ask learners why it is symmetric. Then ask them to explain what they think happens in asymmetric encryption, from their understanding of symmetric.(W)
Ask learners to research and create a presentation to inform their peers about encryption. The presentation should:
  • express the importance of encryption in their lives as well as any disadvantages
  • describe and compare methods of encryption: symmetric, assymetric, public key and private key
  • describe and compare different methods of encoding data, such as codecs
  • explain the use ofencryption to protect data
  • describe the encryption protocols SSL and TLS and their uses.(I)(H)(F)
These resources contain information about encoding and encrypting data:



1.5
Key concept: Impact of Information Technology / Checking the accuracy of data
  • define validation and analyse a range of validation methods (including: presence check, range check, type check, length check, format check and check digit, lookup check, consistency check, limit check)
  • define verification and analyse verification methods (including: visual checking and double data entry)
  • explain the need for both validation and verification
  • define proofreading
/ Give learners a list of validation methods and a list of descriptions. Ask learners to match the correct validation method with the correct description.(I)(F)
Ask learners why, when they create a new password for an account, they might be asked to enter the password twice. Explain to learners that this is a method of verification.(W)
Give learners a set of data that meets certain validation methods. Tell them what validation methods have been set on each field. Include somedeliberate mistakes in the data but make sure that it still meets the validation set. Ask learners to discuss whether the data in its current form can be relied on to be accurate. Ask learners how the accuracy could be improved (bringing in proofreading and double entry if needed) and link that into a discussion about the necessity for both validation and verification.(W)
Resources that give information about checking the accuracy of data:


Hardware and software (AS Level)

Learningobjectives / Suggestedteachingactivities
Syllabus ref and Key concepts
2.1
Key concept: Hardware and software / Hardware
  • define the term hardware
  • evaluate internal hardware devices (including: central processing unit (CPU), motherboard, randomaccess memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), graphics card, sound card, hard disk drive (HDD),solid state drive (SSD))
  • evaluate external hardware devices (including: cloud, monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer (laser, inkjet,dot matrix, plotter), speakers, camera (digital, video), web cam, scanner, magnetic ink character reader(MICR), optical mark reader (OMR), optical character reader (OCR), bar code reader, pen drive, portablehard disk drive, blue-ray disk drive, memory card)
  • explain the purpose of storage devices
  • evaluate storage devices (including: magnetic tape drive, optical, hard disk drive (HDD), solid state drive(SSD))
  • explain the purpose of input and output devices
  • evaluate different input, storage or output devices for a given task
/ It is helpful to obtain and demonstrate as many examples of the hardware listed as possible. Seeing the hardware used often helps learners understand its role and importance.
Give learners a diagram of a computer that illustrates the internal hardware devices listed. Ask learners to label the diagram and write a definition for each hardware device. (I)(H)(F)
Provide learners with a list of tasks that require hardware devices in order to carry them out, including some input, some storage and some output devices. The tasks should be ones for which a certain hardware device from the list is more suitable than others. Ask learners to identify the most suitable hardware device(s) for the task and ask them to justify their choice.(G)(F)
Ask each group to feedback their choices and where any differences occur, askthemto debate which group made the better choice and why.(W)
These websites have some useful information about different hardware devices:




2.2
Key concept: Hardware and software / System, application and user interface software
  • define the term software
  • evaluate types of software (system software and application software)
  • explain the purpose of system software (including: compilers, linkers, device drivers, operating systemsand utilities, interpreters)
  • evaluate application software (including: word processing, spreadsheet, database management systems, control software, measuring software, applets and apps, photo editing software, video editing software, graphics manipulation software, communications software, web authoring software)
  • evaluate application software for a given task
  • evaluate the characteristics of different types of user interface (including: command line interface, graphical user interface, dialogue interface, gesture based interface)
/ Play a game of ‘What am I?’ with learners. Create cards with the title ‘What am I?’ and have a description of each type of system software, application software and utility software. Learners need to guess, using the information about the software. For example:
What am I?
  • I transform source code into machine code
  • I transform the whole of the program at once
  • I create an executable file as an output
Answer: I am a COMPILER
This game canbe developed by having a singleclue on each card and having three/four clues for each software type. Learners work in pairs and read a clue at a time. The aim of the game is to guess the type of software usingthe fewest clues.(P)(F)
Learners briefly discuss each of the application software types, searching for information if they don’t know any of them. (P) They then think of and write down a suitable task for each of the types. (I)In pairs, they compare their answers. (P)
Summarise findings with a class discussion. (W)
Provide learners with the four different types of user interface. Give them a task to complete, such as create and store a message. Ask them to write down answers to the following:
  • Could they complete the task using each different interface?
  • Which interface was easiest to use to complete the task? Why?
  • What characteristics can they identify for each interface?
  • What characteristics (if any) are missing for each interface?(I)(H)

2.2 continued /
  • evaluate the use of colour, layout, font size, quantity of information and controls when designing a user interface
  • evaluate mental models and how they can be used when designing a user interface
/ Create a grid for learners to complete, that contains examples of different things that could occur in a mental model. Learners should think of answersusing their experience of computers, but without looking at a computer.(G). For example:
  • What colour would be used in a message to show a user had got something wrong?
  • What colour would be used in a message to show a user had got something right?
  • Where is the button to bring up the start menu on a computer?
  • In which order would you expect to fill out a form (top-to-bottom, bottom-to-top, left-to-right, right-to-left)?
Learners will probably find that all the groups have similar answers and a discussion can then be held about why we have these mental models. As part of the discussion consider what would happen if we ‘broke’ the mental model e.g. used red in a message that was telling a user they had got an answer correct. How would this affect the user?(W)
These resources give some information about mental models:


2.3
Key concept: Hardware and software / Utility software
  • define utility software
  • describe the role of different utility software (including: anti-virus, back-up, data compression, disk defragmentation, formatting, file-copying, deleting)
/ The following are resources that give information about software:



2.4
Key concept: Hardware and software / Custom written software and off-the-shelf software
  • compare the benefits and drawbacks of custom written software and off-the-shelf software
/ Give learners three case studies about three different businesses that require a new piece of software.Make sure thatfor each case study, either custom written software, or off-the-shelf software is more suitable.
In groups, learners read through the case studies and make a written recommendation to the business, telling them whetherthey should choose an off-the-shelf piece of software or a custom written piece of software. They should provide at least three reasons for their recommendation.(G)(F)
2.5
Key concept: Hardware and software / Compiler and interpreter
  • describe the function of a compiler
  • describe the function of an interpreter
  • evaluate the difference between a compiler and an interpreter
/ Give learners a table that has some statements about compilers and interpreters. Learners complete the table by ticking whether the statement is about a compiler, an interpreter or both.(I)(H)(F)
The following websites have information about compilers and interpreters: